What do you consider "pre-labor"? I went into labor Monday at 4am labored until noon on Thursday. I labored at home until Wednesday about 8pm before going to hospital where I was admitted at 2cm, progressed to 3cm by midnight, but by noon the next day was stuck at 5cm so that's when a csection was needed. It was real labor, not just false labor. The contractions were very, very painful, and I was having pain inbetween contractions too. Even nubain that Wednesday night hardly took the edge off. My body was truly in real labor, but just wouldn't dilate.